Spring structure



W.S. COSTIGAN SPRING STRUCTURE f' Re. 18,860 .'5 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 6,1933.

original FiledfFebQ 2. 192e IN VEN TOR. ta'ymg ATTORNEY. l

W. S. COSTIGAN SPRING STRUCTURE June 6, 1933.

original Filed Feb. 2,'1928 INVENYOR A TTORNEY.

and connected to the springs ecimed June s, 1933 STATI-:s PAT-ENTori-fics wNsLnIff s.-qos*rIGN,-"or IIILLSnALia MICHIGAN, LassIGNon 'roREYNOLDS SPRING comm, or JAcxsoN, MICHIGAN s SPRING s'rmcrunn l UrllnalNo.' 1,843,848, datedebruary'; 1932. Serial No. 251,370. led February 2,1928. Application tur reissue mea august 4, 1932. seria; No. 627,542.

This invention relates to spring structures. One object ofthe inventionis to provide a springembodying rows of springs with Hexible strips toseparate the adjacent rows of springs with the strips connected at theirupper and lower edges to the top and bottom coils of the springs t0normally hold 'the springs under a predetermined compression to maintainan effective thickness of the lo spring structure and operating tolimitthe` recoil of the .springsy upon expansion incident to ycompression ofthe compressed springs.

Another object of the invention is to pro- 15 vide a spring structurefor automobile or other seats embodying rows of springs withY strips offabric or other suitable material arranged to form partitions betweenthe adjacent rows of springs, separating the rows, to hol-d `the springsunder a given compression and operating to limit the recoils of thesprings incident to expansionsubsequent to compression of the springs inuse and thereby preventing the rider from being thrown upwardly olf ofthe spring seat structure.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a resilient softspring cuslon seat yfor automobiles and the like embodying suc-hcharacteristics as to provide easy and comfortable riding for theoccupant and to prevent a complete compression of 'the sprlngs incidentto vabnormaljars and thereby prevent the rider from-striking the bottomof the structurel and b v reason of means connecting the tops andbottoms of the springs to limit recoil thereby preventing theriderfrqm'v'being thrown olf the seat a ainst the top of the car in the eventof jar ue-to uneven roadways.

spring structure wherein the springs are arranged. in rows betweenflexible partition strips of suitable material which se arate `the rowsand are connected `at their ye ges to thetop and bottom coilsof adjacentrows and operating springs according to the-width of said strips and therecoil of the-springs.

It is st ill further designed to providea' 'to control the height ofntheso as to control `the thickness of the structure" l lVith the above and'other objects in View,

the invention consists in the construction and-novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated intheaccompanying drawings, and set forth in the clalms hereto appended, itbeing understood 4that various changes in the form, size, and

minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit of the invention or sacrificing iany of the ad-I vantagesthereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an inverted plan view,vthe fabric being broken away. e

Fig. 2 is an en arged transverse sectional view of the structure.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged tudinal sectional views:

Fig. 4 is a .plan viebv with parts broken awa Flg. 5 is an enlargeddetail sectional view fragmentary longiof one lower corner of the springstructure.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectionalview lshowing the connection ofone of the intermediate p-artitions with the upper coils of adjacentsprings.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, thereference character 10 indicates a base frame of sheet metal providedwith a. continuousinner groove 11 and a continuous outer groove 12adapted to receive a wood insert to which the lower edge of the usualupholsteryskirt (not shown) may be secured by tacking. Any othersuitable type of base frame may be employed. v

Supporting wires 1 4 transversely disposed and spaced apart have theirends connected to the base frame 10, and in the base frame shown, saidends are disposed in said inner groove in which they may be secured bycompressing or pinching one of the walls of the inner groove at 'thepoint of connection of the wires with said groove as shown at 15. Alongitudinally disposed supporting wire 16 intersects With'thetransverse wires 14 and the ends thereof may besecured in the said innergroove 11 in the same manner as the ends of the wires 14.

A spring supporting reticulated lframe 17 is mounted within the baseyframe and has the same shapel or contour thereof and is maintainedslightly spaced from the inner walls of the base frame. This reticulatedframe is preferably of metal and composed of a border wire 18 and wavyor slightly kinked transverse wires 194 intersecting and interlaced withsimilarly formed longitudinal wires 20 both of which have their endssecuredto the border wire, andas shown these ends are bent' around theborder wire 18 as' indicated at 2l. The wires 19 and 20 of each set aredisposed relatively close together to provide an open framework havingrelative ly small openings 22. Thus, there is pro# vided a lattice oropen framework or spring support in which the open work may obviously beformed of strips of sheet metal instead of wires.

A sheet of burlap or other fabric o r suitable material 23 is disposedover the top of the reticulated frame 17 and clipped or secured theretoin-any/suitable manner. The transverse and long g'itudinal wires 19 and20 are connected to the aforesaid supporting wires 14 and 16 by means ofsuitable fastenings 24 whereby to secure the covered reticulated fr'ameto the wires 14 and 16 and maintain the reticulated frame within thebase 10 and slightly spacedv from the latter and provide a substantialsupport for the body springs 25 of the structure.

The body springs 25 are illustrated as being of double cone knotted typebut they may be unknotted or knotted or cylindrical or barrel or othersuitable type. They are arranged in rows relatively close together andhave their base coils resting directly upon the aforesaid burlap orother covering material 23 so that by reason of the interposed softmaterial 23 between the springsl and the reticulated frame the rubbingor contact between the metal springs and metal reticulated frame isprevented by the said soft material 23 which acts as a silencer toprevent noise incident to metallic contact between the springs and saidframe. Thus, it 4will be understood that the body springs have theirbase coils disposed directly upon the burlap or other suitable softmaterial 23.

A strip of burlap or other suitable fabric or material 27 is arrangedbetween rows of springs 25. There is front burlap or other strip 28 anda-rear burlap or other strip 29.V

bothmof which: cooperate with ,the aforesaid strips 27 for the purposeof controlling the effective' height of the body springs and thethickness of the structure and to prevent recoil of the springs limit.-To these ends, the strips 27, 28 and 29 have a width determined by thelength of initially compressed springs and have their longitudinal edgesconnected :to the top and bottom coils of the body springs. Morespecically as illustrated, each fiexible strip27,

beyond a predetermined 28 and 29 has'its opposite longitudinal edgesfolded over a longitudinal light gauge wlre reinforcement 30 which maybe retainedin the respective fold by'stitches, as at 31.` Suitablefastening devices 32 connect the upper and lower reinforced edges of thestrips 27, 28 and 29 to the top and bottom coils of the springs. .Thefastening devices 32 also secure the up er and lower reinforced edges ofthe border'strips 28 and 29 to the bor er frame 18 of the reticulatedframe and to the upper border wire 33; the strips 27 located betweenadjacent springs 25, as well as the wires reinforcing their upper edges,are unlconnected from the upper border 33, as shown' in Figs. 3 and 4,to permit the same to follow the llexurc of the adjacent springs. The'reinforced edges of the strips are secured to i the coils of the springafter the springs have been initially compressed the desired degrec, andthe strips maintain this initial compression of the springs and therebygovern or control the thickness of the cushion and operate to limitrecoil of the springs to prevent an occupant of the seat from beingthrown upwardly into the top of the car incident to jars due to unevenroadways as well as preventing undue stress or wear upon the outercovering or usual upholstery finishing material. There is no frictionbetween the partition strips and the springs which does away withyunnecessary wear on the fabric stripsgdue to the firm connection of thestrips withthe springs.

. One edge of thetop of the border frame 33 is extended outwardly. Forinstance, a Wire 35 has its ends bent, as at 36, and connected totheupper border wire 33 by means of suitable clips 37, the border wire 33having loops 38 which extend outwardly to the wire 35 and connected tothe latter by means If desired, the structure may be braced by braces40,each of which has bent ends 41. The .braces preferably extend,diagonally from top to bottom of the structure, passing through thepartitions 27. The upper bent end 441 of each brace or stay 40v isconnected preferably to the upper frame by means of suitable clips 42.The lower bent end of each brace or stay is preferably connected to theborder wire of the reticulated frame. f

Prior to placing thel finishing upholstery material 1 (not shown) on thestructure it is preferable to close the top and ends of the structurewith burlap or other suitable material as show'n.

What is claimed is:

1. In a springlstructure, a base frame including a marginal elementhaving an inwardly opening longitudinal groove, transf versely disposedwires spaced apart and having their ends fitted in said groove andpunched therein, a longitudinally disposed supporting wireintersectingsaid'transverse wires and having its ends litted in the groove of thebase frame and pinched therein,- a reticulated sprin supporting framedisposed within the base rame and mounted on said longitudinal andtransverse wires and supported thereby, a fabric covering disposed onsaid reticulated frame, means piercing said fabric covering andembracing portions of the reticulated frame to secure said covering tothe reticulated frame, and springs mounted on said fabric covering andsecured to saidJ reticulated frame. A

42. In a spring structure, a base frame, an upper frame, rows of springsarranged within and between said frames, certain of said springsconstituting bordeig'prings, strips ofV fabric of less height lthan thenormal expansion of said springs arranged betweenadjalcent rows ofsprings engaging the springsV only upon two sides., members reinforcingthe longitudinal edges of said strips of whichV at least the uppermembers are llexible, fastening means `securing said members to' saidsprings to place the same under compression, said upper members havingsufficient flexibilto permit substantially individualaction it lofy thesprings and permitting substantially individual action betweeny saidupper frame and the springs within the border springs.

3. In a spring structure, a base frame, an.` upper frame,` rows ofsprings arranged withl in and between said frames, certain of saidsprings constituting border springs, fabric of less height than thenormal expansionof said springs arranged between adjecent rows ofsprings enga 'ng the springs only upon two sides, ilexib e membersreinforcing the longitudinal edges o f said strips,

of springs engaging the springs fastening'means securing said members toi said springs to place the same under compression, said members andstrips cooperating to said yspi-ings arrangedbetween adjacent rows ofsprings engagingthe springs only upon two sides,'lleiiible members,reinforcing the springs engaging the springs only upon two sides,. wiremembers reinforcing the longitudinal edges oi"sa.id strips of which atleast the upper members are flexible, fastenin means piercing saidstrips and embracing sai members securing said strips to said'spgringslindependent of the upperto place thel same under coinpressior said meansflxedly engaging said stri' s an ably embra`c1ng'` said members, w erebysaid vsprings are spaced lbngitudinally of the structure by said strips.and have substantially individual action.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ailix my signature.

WESLEY S. COSTIGAN.

strips of y definitely position said springs within said I upper framerelative to eacli other' and having interconnections -with said u perframe of a character enabling substantia ly individual action betweensaid upper frame and the springs within the border springs.

4.. In a spring structure', a base fra-me, an upper frame, rows ofsprings arranged within and between saidframes, strips of fabric of lessheight than the normal expansion of said springs arranged betweenadjacent rows onl upon two sides, flexible members reinforcing thelongitudinal edges of said strips, fastening means securing said membersto said sprin to place the saine under compression, said said upperframe at least at one flexible members' being unconnected with endwhereby the same may vfollow the ileimre of said 5. 'n a springstructure, a base frame, an upper frame,

of less height than the normal expansion of' slidv ioo CERTIMCATE orcoRREeTIoN. f

Reissue No. 18,860. y i June e, 1933.

I WESLEY s. CosTIGAN.

It is hereby certified that error app-ears in the printed specificationof vthe above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2,line 128, claim l. for "punched" read "pinched"; and that the saidLetters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the samemay'conform to the record of the case in the Patent (lffice.

Signed and sealed this 15th day of August. A. D. 1933.

M. J. Moore.

(Seal) I v Acting Commissioner of Patents.

